Professional Dons Deal For French Teen

Such has been the impact that Youssef Bamba has made in a short space of time with AFC Wimbledon has been the decision to reward him with a professional contract.

The 18-year-old Frenchman's displays at youth team level convinced Neal Ardley, who wasn't so sure at first, to tie the forward down to a professional contract just in case other clubs were lurking perhaps?

Youssef, as he told Dons Player, said: 'I am very happy to get this deal. It is something I have dreamed about since I was very young. To have signed my first contract is very exciting and promising. I am just grateful that the club have enough trust in me to give me a contract.

'I have to keep working hard and hopefully if I do that then Neal Ardley will give me a chance and I can score goals like I have been doing lately. My ambition is to get into the first-team squad and take it from there.'

Hard work and effort has paid off for the former Nice youngster and I wouldn't bet against him making inroads into the first-team squad sooner, rather than later.